Travel Insurance FAQs

Eligibility

Our goal is to make affordable travel insurance coverage available to as many Canadians as possible. In general, any Canadian resident can purchase some form of coverage with us. Factors such as where you are travelling, your health and the length of your trip may affect the specific coverage(s) available to you.

Note: Non-residents travelling to Canada, immigrants to Canada or foreign students studying in Canada may be eligible to purchase one of our Visitors to Canada Plans.

Generally speaking, no. While your age can affect your eligibility for certain coverages, we have packages and plans that cover all age groups. If you are age 65 or older, we may ask you to answer a few questions about your health to make sure you have the most appropriate coverage.

Yes, you may purchase a policy for your parents. Simply call us at 1-866-896-8172, buy online, or visit an RBC Insurance Store. Depending on their age, they may be required to complete health questions in order to obtain coverage. If this is not a requirement, please keep in mind that all terms and conditions apply to your parents, therefore we recommend that you review the insurance with them prior to purchase.

Possibly. Depending on your age, medical condition and, if applicable, your answers to our health questions, pre-existing medical conditions are covered if they are stable for a certain time period (as specified in your policy) before your policy's effective date.

Your answers to the health questions (if applicable) will be used to help determine the benefits you are eligible to receive under your insurance policy.

When answering the health questions:

Take your time. The questions may take up to 10 minutes to complete.

You (the applicant) should complete and sign the Medical Questionnaire. (If you have someone else complete the Medical Questionnaire on your behalf, it is still your responsibility to make sure the answers to the questions are correct.)

Read and answer each question carefully and accurately. Review your answers to confirm they are correct. Incorrect answers may lead to your coverage being voided or your claim denied.

Have your prescriptions or a description of your medications nearby for reference.

If you are unsure about any questions regarding your medical condition or medications, please speak to your physician or call Assured Assistance Inc. (AAI). You can call AAI 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at: 1-800-387-2487 toll-free from the U.S. and Canada, or (905) 816-2561 collect from anywhere in the world.

If necessary, a family member or close friend can complete the questions on your behalf. Please keep in mind, however, that it is still your responsibility to sign the form and make sure the answers are correct.

The right coverage for your trip depends on several factors, including (but not limited to) where you're travelling to, how long you’ll be gone, the kind of transportation you'll be using and, in some instances, your overall health. View all of our travel insurance products now.

Coverage

An accident, illness or medical emergency can happen anywhere, anytime. If you need medical care or treatment in another country, your government health plan may cover only a portion of the costs. Travel insurance starts where these plans leave off.

Managing over 400,000 calls every year, our representatives are here for you 24/7 and are highly experienced in coordinating emergency care for travellers in foreign countries.

Because our representatives are multilingual and have 24-hour access to real-time translation services, we can provide the help you need in your own language—and also have someone to communicate on your behalf with medical personnel who may speak a different language.

Whenever possible, AAI will also request for the medical service provider within the network to bill the covered medical expenses directly to us instead of you—reducing your stress and hassle.

Yes, if you are travelling outside your home province or territory. There are several reasons why it's important to get travel medical insurance when you're travelling within Canada. One reason is that accidents can happen anywhere. Another is that government health insurance plans do have limits on reimbursement of emergency medical expenses incurred while you are in another province. For example, the ambulance, emergency dental treatment and prescription drugs might not be covered by some government health insurance plans.

You may extend your coverage if you extend your trip, subject to certain conditions of your policy.

If you've purchased a single trip plan, the following conditions apply:

If you have not had a medical condition during your trip or while covered under your policy, you can request an extension by contacting us at 1-866-896-8172 before your original policy’s expiry date.

If you have had a medical condition during your trip and while covered under your policy, you must request the extension by contacting Assured Assistance Inc. (the RBC Insurance travel emergency assistance network) before the expiry date of your original policy. Your extension is subject to the approval of Assured Assistance Inc.

You must pay the required additional premium before your original policy’s expiry date.

If we are unable to extend your particular policy's coverage due to the trip duration limits of your policy, you may be able to purchase a new policy from us.

If you've purchased a multi-trip annual plan, the following conditions apply:

You may purchase a top-up policy for the additional number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan as follows:

Before your effective date, you may contact us at 1-866-896-8172 to purchase top-up coverage.

After your effective date and if you have not had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact us at 1-866-896-8172 before your original policy’s expiry date to purchase top-up coverage.

After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact Assured Assistance Inc. (the RBC Insurance travel emergency assistance network) before your original policy’s expiry date to request approval for and to purchase top-up coverage.

The terms, conditions and exclusions of the new top-up policy apply to you.

You must pay the required top-up premium on or before the effective date of the top-up period.

If you do NOT top-up your coverage for a trip, you will not be covered for any claims you make outside the period of insurance for that trip. If the top-up policy you are purchasing requires you to complete health questions, you must complete the health questions.

We recommend that you carefully review your government health plan coverage. Government plans may not cover all emergency medical expenses once you leave your home province/territory and typically cover only a limited portion once you leave the country. In fact, the Canadian Government (Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada) urges Canadians to purchase supplemental health insurance when leaving the country. They say:

Do not rely on your provincial or territorial health plan to cover costs if you get sick or are injured while abroad. Out-of-country health care can be costly, and your health plan may not cover any medical expenses abroad. It is your responsibility to seek information from your provincial or territorial health authority and to obtain supplementary travel insurance and understand the terms of your policy.2

24-hour, multilingual emergency medical assistance—one toll-free phone call puts you in touch with a multilingual professional who will refer you to a local doctor or facility in order for you to receive the care you need

Government health insurance plans also don't provide coverage for situations such as lost, damaged or delayed baggage or trip cancellation and interruption. Our travel insurance can provide these coverages and more.

Yes, you do need travel insurance to protect yourself against the unexpected, even if you are going to the United States for a few days. An illness or accident can happen at any time, whether you're on the road for a few days, or a few months. And remember, the cost of health care is very expensive in the United States and very little of this cost would be covered by your government health insurance plan, credit card or company benefits plan. For a short trip, the cost of travel insurance is minimal, and it gives you the protection you need.

If you purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance, it will help pay for your expenses to return home in the event of a covered emergency. There are a number of circumstances that qualify as an emergency (for example, the death or serious illness of a family member). The cost of cancelling a trip prior to departure can be very expensive, as most trips are non-refundable, especially if you have to cancel just before leaving on your trip. Having to return early from a trip can also be very expensive. Either way, trip cancellation and interruption insurance is very important to protect your travel investment.

You may purchase a top-up policy for the extra number of days beyond the duration covered by your multi-trip annual plan. Here are the conditions:

Before your effective date, you may contact us at 1-866-896-8172 to purchase top-up coverage.

After your effective date and if you have not had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact us at 1-866-896-8172 before your original policy’s expiry date to purchase top-up coverage.

After your effective date and if you have had a medical condition during your trip, you must contact Assured Assistance Inc. (the RBC Insurance travel emergency assistance network) before your original policy’s expiry date to request approval for and purchase top-up coverage.

The terms, conditions and exclusions of the new top-up policy apply to you.

You must pay the required top-up premium on or before the effective date of the top-up period.

If you do NOT top-up your coverage for a trip, you will not be covered for any claims you make outside the period of insurance for that trip. If the top-up policy you are purchasing requires you to complete health questions, you must complete the health questions.

If you purchase one of our travel medical insurance plans—either Classic Medical or TravelCare® Medical—you can, subject to certain conditions:

If you are travelling for more than 183 days, you may purchase single trip coverage for up to 365 days provided that you are covered under your government health plan for the full duration of your trip.

If you are 40-74 years of age, you must also answer a few health questions, which will determine whether you are eligible to purchase coverage for trips beyond 183 days.

The cost of a trip can be a significant financial investment. A lot can also happen in the time between booking your trip and departing—if a medical emergency or other unexpected event prevents you from going on your trip, you could potentially lose some (or possibly all) of the money you paid.

With trip cancellation and interruption insurance, you're protected when certain situations prevent you from travelling as planned. Examples include:

You can't travel due to an illness, job loss or immediate family member's medical emergency

You need to return home earlier than scheduled because of a family emergency or medical condition

Note: We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation and interruption insurance at the time you pay your initial travel deposit. Please see the policy document for complete coverage details, including terms and conditions.

We strongly recommend you do. Your insurance policy is a valuable source of information and contains provisions that may limit or exclude coverage. Please read it before you go, keep it in a safe place and carry it with you when you travel.

Discover and Learn

This insurance is subject to a maximum of $20,000 if you do not have valid government health insurance plan coverage in force for the full length of your trip. Please read the policy for all terms and conditions.